Registered Respiratory Therapist - Defiance Regional Hospital

When a patient has a severe respiratory condition in a ProMedica hospital, a Registered Respiratory Therapist provides the care they need in a general, clinical, emergency and/or diagnostic care area. 

In this role, you will frequently make independent decisions regarding therapy modifications in accordance with clinical practice guidelines, policies and procedures. 

ACCOUNTABILITIES 

*All duties listed below are essential unless noted otherwise*  

1. Achieves and maintains a level of competency to perform prescribed therapeutic and diagnostic procedures within their scope of practice, as per business unit, in accordance with departmental competency standards, which include general care, critical care, emergency care and diagnostic procedures, including, but not limited to, the following:  

a. General Care: patient identification and assessment, medical gas delivery, medication administration via nebulizers and MDI/DPI, bronchopulmonary hygiene, and hyperinflation therapy  

b. Critical Care: initiation, management, and weaning of invasive and non-invasive ventilation; airway management and suction, including tracheostomy, endotracheal and pharyngeal; cuff and ETCO2 monitoring, intubation and extubation; set-up, calibration, insertion (arterial lines) and maintenance of indwelling lines and catheters, and high-risk newborn deliveries  

c. Emergency Care: responds to rapid responses and emergency codes; performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), airway management, and actively participates in patient stabilization, internal and external transports  

d. Diagnostic Care: blood sampling and analysis, specimen collection, continuous and/or noninvasive monitoring, bedside pulmonary function screens, spontaneous breathing parameters, and electrocardiograms (EKG)  

e. Note: critical tests and values will be reported in a timely manner per Hospital Policy.  

2. Safely assembles, operates and trouble shoots therapeutic and diagnostic equipment for patient care, including but not limited to, the following:  

a. Gas administration, monitoring and analyzing devices including flow meters and regulators, blenders, cylinders and bulk systems, compressors, analyzers, and pulse oximeters  

b. Mechanical devices, including mechanical ventilators, manometers, gauges, spirometers, and EKG machines.  

c. Laboratory equipment for blood gas analysis  

d. Age specific patient care equipment, including resuscitation equipment, oral and nasal airways, endotracheal and tracheal tubes  

e. Equipment disinfection and sterilization  

3. Understands and applies Respiratory Care Clinical Practice Guidelines, to provide safe, highly efficient, and cost-effective care, using evidence based best practice. 

 4. Provides educational needs of patients on disease specific process, tobacco cessation and  

5. respiratory care services provided, including instruction for home care equipment and medications.  

6. Assist with clinical instruction of respiratory care, nursing, medical students, and residents, as needed. Actively participates in the orientation of new staff and contributes to the growth of others.